


To Dream, Perchance to Sleep

by QuartzFox



Category: Rune Factory 4
Genre: (I hope you are a level 4 friend!), Definitely Contains Drama, Especially when we make plans..., F/M, Life Happens, May Contain Nuts, May contain spoilers, Other, and easter eggs, may contain puns, tragic backstory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-08-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:02:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 16,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26075353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuartzFox/pseuds/QuartzFox
Summary: When he'd first arrived at the Temple Palace, it wasn't common knowledge why the runes of this land had begun to weaken. But he'd come to become a Dragon Priest, and Leon was determined to learn all that he could about the problem -- and how to fix it. Not, of course, that he was going to give up on living his own life!Art in Chapter 2 by the amazing@azura_likes_soup on Instagram!!!! <3
Relationships: Leon/Maria, Sano/Uno
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	1. Partners

_He paced up and down the hall, trying to tread lightly; his room was over Lin Fa's and Xiao Pai's and he did not wish to disturb them. Once again, he could not sleep, and he knew why._

Nothing _was familiar. Even Venti... The little he'd had the chance to speak with her. Even now, she was sleeping, her energy at dangerously low levels. Well, that at least was painfully familiar... Frey was working tirelessly to build her strength up enough to take on the entire Sechs Empire singlehandedly, if she had to, in order to save their Dragon-God... And more importantly, their friend._

_He longed for someone to talk to about it; about anything... But his only true friends were far away and might not hear him..._

_~_ Don't be silly, Leon. We are always only a thought away. For too long have we three shared ourselves far more intimately than any mortal bond.~ 

~We would never part from thee -- in spite of thy attitude, thou walking ego,~ _Uno's mental tone was much lighter than Sano's, teasing him with her accustomed familiarity._ ~It would take much more than mere distance to keep us apart.~

 _He had to smile at that. It was true that the Foxes from the Temple were a part of him in ways that no one who had not been a Guardian could even imagine -- and even his fellow Guardians, who hadn't been so fortunate to have such companions... He wasn't sure he could count Pico; she was exceptional in_ many _ways._

_It had been two weeks since he had awoken in Selphia; the place had changed drastically in the last thousand years since he'd "been asleep". The palace had been much the same, though the decor had been updated quite a bit. Here and there, he could still see signs of the original building he remembered, but only Venti's room remained essentially unchanged._

_That made it harder. Had a thousand years truly passed?_

_A shiver of loneliness gripped him by the spine, chilling his blood and tugging his mind in dark directions before a warm thought intervened._

~Silly human Leon. Surely you remember, before you became a Guardian, and before I became as I am now, how we used to run through the woods together. Sometimes you rode upon my back and I played the loyal steed to your righteous warrior... And not all before you reached your full growth, of course! Then we would return to the Temple and you were the one who would fluff my cushions for me before I would curl up to sleep. Sometimes on cold nights, you would even come to hide in amongst my tails, or those of my brother. Those were fun times.~ _Uno sighed wistfully._ ~Or on nights when you could not sleep, we would talk until dawn. It is that more than anything that I miss.~ 

_As quickly as that, he remembered; the feel of the wind in his hair, and her fur, thick beneath his hands, as he gripped the odd but convenient bar that grew from her shoulders, scenery flying by as he laughed into the wind caused by her headlong pace. Sano had often stayed behind; his more conservative nature inclining him more toward studious pursuits while his mate and their friend went off on adventures._

_“Do you remember when you first came to the castle? You were just barely adolescents, like I was. Poking your noses and all nine tails into everything, playful and frightened and confused and full of hope, too… Don’t think I’ve forgotten how you used to chase everything, Uno, and chew on me when you got too excited!”_

_If statues could blush, he sensed Uno would be doing just that – not that he could see her anyway, of course. “And you, Sano, forever pestering everyone in sight to teach you to read the ‘strange markings that hold so many secrets’ – you’d chew on me, too, but mostly when you got frustrated!” He laughed, as the mind that touched his radiated prim disinterest._

_“I miss those days. Things were so much simpler then; I was going to become a Dragon Priest, get married, raise up a whole passel of kids… Just like I’d promised._

_“Then everything changed when Venti’s health faltered, and the Earthmates discovered what was going on.”_

~We remember it well. Well thou knowest we were not always part of this tower.~

~How could we possibly forget? It was how thou came to join us in truth.~

_Leon slipped back into memory for a long moment, then chuckled as one surfaced. “Do you remember when I was about sixteen, and I brought that new novice to meet you two? He’d grown up afraid of monsters and I wanted to be sure he knew that most monsters were not only not evil, but were essentially people like us. That they had thoughts and feelings, hopes and fears just like humans.”_

~He was very young and very afraid.~ _Uno’s mind-voice was warm with sympathy._

 _Sano’s was more amused._ ~And when he saw us, his first reaction was –~

 _“’How do you keep track of all those_ tails _?’” Leon spluttered in fair imitation of the youth’s startled exclamation. He felt their laughter in his mind as his own burst forth. “Yeah, the poor kid. I wondered the same thing when I first met you. I told him that, do you remember?” He felt their agreement, still mingled with the sensation of amusement._

_“So many tales,” he sighed. “Sano, Uno, I miss you two. I am sorry I haven’t come to visit more often.”_

~There is a lot for you to learn.~

~You have a thousand years of catching up to do.~

_“I’d rather not think about that. I’d rather think about the past again, just for tonight… Things are changing, and I feel the need to remember a promise I made a long time ago. I would rather remember happier things,” he added a bit abruptly. “Do you remember the very first time we met? You came to Venti’s chambers, intent on asking her how to survive… I was a dumb kid, a novice all puffed up on his own importance…”_

_He remembered those adventures as if they were still fresh; he remembered working alongside the Foxes in the fields and the books. He remembered the day he'd first met them, a few years after he'd come to the Temple and begun his studies..._


	2. Participants

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art by the amazing [@azsura_likes_soup on Instagram!!!! <3](https://www.instagram.com/azura_likes_soup/)

In the dragon's chamber, Ventuswill was alone but for one young lad, not long into his novitiate period. His hair was a deep blue-black and hung straight to the end of his shoulder blades; his eyes were a rich aquamarine-blue, full of an odd combination of mischief and diligence. Bright cyan tattoos, surrounded still by slightly raw-looking flesh, traced their way across his swarthy cheeks, and his lean young physique showed signs of an impending growth spurt. He jumped slightly at the sight of two monsters approaching, backing towards Ventuswill and spreading his arms as though to protect her.

"FEAR NOT," the dragon boomed. The youth cringed at her volume, as did the two Jaxtails. "STAND DOWN, LEON. I KNOW THESE TWO. THEY ARE A TYPE OF CREATURE CALLED JAXTAILS."

"Jaxtails? I don't remember them in my studies," Leon said. “They look kind of like Foxes to me.”

“If it be easier, thou may think of us as such,” Sano said, bowing his head in acknowledgment. "Thou art wise, good Lady Ventuswill," Sano said, bowing. "We be in need of thine aid if we are to survive in this land. It seems we are the last of our kind."

Leon studied them; both were black-furred with bright golden noses and nine tails that had the potential to be glorious, but at the moment were a bit frazzled-looking. His tail-tips were flame red, his companion’s an oceanic blue. Both had a strange arrangement of growths from each shoulder, in the same color as their tail-tips, that was crossed by a bar; Leon thought that the gates the Easterners called Torii had been inspired by their design.

"Couldn't you just breed?" he asked finally, when Ventuswill didn’t respond promptly.

Uno and Sano exchanged an awkward glance. Ventuswill's eyes sparkled with humor, though her expression did not change.

"Even if we were old enough, we two alone could not repopulate the world with our kind," Uno said finally, every bit as awkwardly as she felt. 

"Ah," Leon said thoughtfully.

"I CANNOT RECREATE OTHERS, NOR BRING THEM BACK AGAINST THEIR WILL FROM THE FOREST OF BEGINNINGS," Ventuswill declared. 

"We would not ask that. They returned there by choice. We only want to stay a bit longer... In time, I know we too must return, but there is much yet I would learn of this world," Sano said.

The dragon sighed. "I HAVE BUT ONE POSSIBLE SOLUTION, THOUGH IT IS NOT ONE YOU WILL MUCH ENJOY. AND... IT WILL COME WITH A PRICE."

"Name your price, and we will decide," Uno said, not feeling as confident as she hoped she sounded.

"THERE IS A TOWER TO THE WEST THAT HAS BECOME HOME TO MANY SPECIES LIKE YOURS WHO ARE FADING FROM THIS WORLD AND WISH YET TO REMAIN. IT IS CALLED KARNAK. YOU MAY TAKE REFUGE THERE AS ITS GUARDIANS, BUT UNLIKE THE OTHERS, WHO STILL ENTER AND LEAVE THE FOREST OF BEGINNINGS, YOU MUST BECOME PART OF THE TOWER ITSELF. YOU MUST BECOME STONE."

"Stone? You mean you would make us statues?" Uno blurted out. Unlike her more sedentary, studious companion, she loved to run free; hers was a loving but mischievous nature and she did not relish the thought of being trapped forever in stone.

"Spending centuries in silent contemplation..." Indeed, Sano seemed to like the idea.

"AND DEFENDING THE TOWER FROM THOSE WHO SEEK ITS POWER." Ventuswill's eyes flickered briefly to the novice priest, clearly reluctant to say more. "BUT THAT IS A MATTER FOR ANOTHER TIME. YOU HAVE TIME TO DECIDE. THE MAGIC WILL TAKE SOME PREPARATION. YEARS, IN FACT. COME AND MAKE YOUR HOME HERE, THAT YOU MAY BE PROTECTED FOR THE TIME BEING."

"Perhaps that is for the best," Sano said. "Being wild creatures, we have no belongings. Our history, our literature, and all of our culture remain solely in our minds. We are ready to make our home here as soon as a place is prepared."

Ventuswill nodded. "I SHALL HAVE THE ADJACENT CHAMBER PREPARED FOR YOU. RETURN IN SIX SUNRISES."

"Why not just call them days?" Leon asked.

"More dramatic that way," Uno murmured, with a straight face.

"Ah," Leon said, just as Ventuswill leveled a glare at the blue Jaxtail. 

"I HEARD THAT."

"Uno..." Sano's warning hiss slid off Uno's back, as she kept her own expression bland save for the wicked twinkle in her eyes. 

“I’m Leon. I’m studying to be a Dragon Priest,” he introduced himself, cutting off Ventuswill before she could add anything. 

“As you have perhaps gathered, I am Sano, and this is Uno. I am a Fire Jaxtail; Uno’s abilities use Water magic. And of course, we know you, Lady Ventuswill. All creatures know of the Native Dragons.” 

“AS IT SHOULD BE,” the dragon replied, mollified. 

“It’s nice to meet you,” Leon said, with a slight bow.

“Likewise,” said Uno. “And now, Lady Ventuswill, we shall do as thou hast suggested and return in a week’s time. Yes, we know of and understand the concept of weeks,” she added with a grin at Leon’s slightly startled expression. “We may be monsters, but we did not grow up under rocks.” 

“In fairness, we have not yet grown up,” Sano pointed out reasonably, at which Uno rolled her eyes and snapped her tails. 

It was an impressive sight, even given that they were clearly not yet at their full size. Looking at them, Leon figured they wouldn’t be quite as large as Silver Wolves when they reached their full growth, not by a significant margin, but they might be big enough to ride. For some reason, the idea had appeal. 

“Be that as it may,” the female said with some asperity, “we will depart and return as promised. For despite what _some_ may say, we are creatures of honor and integrity.” She threw her nose skyward, turning away from Sano with a flounce as she departed. He followed, shaking his head and chuckling softly. 

“Well, they seem to get along well,” Leon said drily. 

“About as well as you and I,” Ventuswill giggled, dropping her voice back to the more casual tone she used when they were alone. Leon knew that she didn’t do that with all of her priests, and for her to do so with him was a high honor indeed. It made him stand a little straighter, even at that moment. 

“I think our relationship is just a little different from theirs,” he said teasingly, but even as he spoke, his mind was on what had just transpired.

The two strange creatures had accepted the possibility of a future where they might sacrifice much – especially the female, Uno, in order to protect that which mattered to her and even more to her friend. They were young, perhaps no older than he was, relatively speaking… But even in the few minutes they’d spoken, he sensed they’d been through a lot. More, certainly, than he had. Without thinking about it, even as he continued to banter with the Divine Dragon, his fingers brushed the still-healing tattoos on his cheeks. He was not yet eleven, and he had already been studying under the Dragon Priests for three years. 

Ventuswill did not miss the gesture. She turned the conversation to lighter topics, worried for her novice priest and friend; he was too young to have his mind turn so dark! She sat a little straighter herself, hoping that it would help him relax. Indeed, before long he had stopped touching his face and was back to laughing at her. But she knew far better than he did that it wasn’t over.

* * *

The Jaxtails moved into the chamber as promised, a week after their introduction. They learned and grew alongside Leon and the other acolytes and novices; Leon and Sano especially threw themselves wholeheartedly into their studies as a friendly rivalry developed between them. Uno, no intellectual slouch, was still more interested in adventure and exploration; while Sano often remained behind after classes, splitting hairs with the senior priests, Uno and Leon would often run off into the wild areas around the town, sometimes communicating with but more often fighting monsters, learning their way around, often going to the Eastern Lake.

When that was their destination, Sano usually joined them; the three loved the peace and solitude. More than once, they’d speculated that it would make a lovely place for a temple, perhaps to Aquaticus. Deep in the Autumn Woods was a place they thought would be perfect for worshipping Fiersome. They couldn’t agree on where Terrable’s temple ought to be, but they spent many happy hours designing what they thought each should look like. 

Their discussions always ended the same way, with one of them noting that it didn’t really matter, of course; who were they to decide on Temples for the other Dragons? They had the best one to themselves already! 

The days passed, some slowly and some swiftly; the Jaxtails reached their full growth and proved Leon correct in his estimation of their size: Uno was just large enough for him to ride comfortably. Sano was just slightly larger, but less inclined toward being treated as a steed. In time, he and Uno pledged themselves as mates, though it was more of a formality by that point. Indeed, they knew of no others of their kind still in the world, and that was what haunted their eyes in some of the quiet moments… When he found them looking that way, Leon did his best to find other distractions for them. 

But he too was growing, and the free time he had dwindled as he intensified his efforts. More and more frequently, he found his god in need of rest, and he worried for her; he was determined to become a full priest as soon as possible so he might help to find a way to heal her. 

Shortly after his sixteenth birthday, the senior of his teachers told him that his presence was requested in the Great Hall. 

Noting the man’s smile, Leon nodded briskly and made his way there, more than half-hoping that they were going to grant him his promotion. It would make a perfect birthday present, in his estimation, but to his surprise, rather than a convocation of Dragon Priests, he arrived to see a trio standing beside the High Priest in Lady Ventuswill’s Presence. 

Indeed, she was using the formal, booming presentation she often hid herself behind in “public”, her dignity wrapped around her more tightly than her wings. 

“… to My Domain,” she was saying as Leon entered quietly. “I look forward to sampling your cooking, Master Saint Coquille.”

“That is very good news indeed, Dear Lady Ventuswill,” the man in front said. Leon straightened; that voice was very familiar… “Indeed, I have a sample right here that I prepared just before coming in.” 

“Oh?” The Divine Dragon allowed just a hint of curiosity into her expression. “And what is that, pray tell?”

“It is not quite a new creation, but it is a recipe from a far-away land, which I have but recently perfected! Outside of my family, none have yet tried it, and I would be honored if you would be the first Being to partake.” With a bow and a flourish, the heavyset man produced a large plate with a stack of flat, sweet-scented golden… Somethings. “I’m afraid I haven’t come up with a better name as yet than that which the dish has already been given, but I present to you… Pancakes!”

Now the dragon allowed skepticism to show. “Pancakes? They don’t sound particularly exotic. Though I admit they smell pleasant enough. Yes, I shall sample your wares. Be aware that if I am not pleased, I might yet send you away.”

But Leon noticed how her nostrils had flared, even as she deigned to accept the plate handed to her. Spearing the entire stack with one claw, she maintained her dignity as she brought it to her mouth, sniffed delicately, and took a bite. 

Of course, the entire stack was the bite, but she chewed thoughtfully, closing her eyes. 

Leon knew that look, even if she was trying to pretend to be thoughtful. ~ _Looks like Venti has a new favorite dish_ ,~ he mused to himself. And he wasn’t surprised at all, considering the skills of the man presenting it. 

The de Saint Coquille family was known far and wide for their love of two things: philanthropy, and food. Leon knew a bit more about the particular branch of the family that stood before Ventuswill, however. As he watched the little scene play out, Venti enjoying the drama almost as much as the new dish, his eyes were mostly fixed on the slight figure who stood behind Master Saint Coquille and the woman next to him. 

He knew that slight figure, even though it had been over two years since he’d seen her.

Maria. 


	3. Plans

Leon watched the Jaxtails through the window as they played a rough-and-tumble game of tag. It had started during their studies, when Sano had tweaked his mate’s nose once too often. Uno was far from foolish, but she was more easily distracted from the long hours of study. They’d run outside after being chastened by the priest teaching the class; the Jaxtails often sat in with the general classes. When the class was finally dismissed, Leon was restrained with a gentle hand on his shoulder. He looked at the priest in surprise. 

“Before you go to meet with your friend, I’ve been asked to relay a message to you. You’re to attend the Dragon’s Circle tomorrow morning before breakfast.” 

Blinking twice, Leon studied the priest’s expression for any hints. Of course, he’d known that his status had been up for discussion recently, but he’d heard nothing since and figured the subject of his progress (or perhaps, lack thereof?) had been tabled. But this priest’s face gave him very little to work with; Leon saw nothing more than bland kindness – the elderly man’s usual expression. There was no sparkle to his eye, no twitch to a corner of his mouth, that indicated what was in the offing, whether it boded well or ill.

Leon nodded, realizing with a start that when he’d looked the older man in the eye, he hadn’t needed to look up. The priest had once been more than a head taller than he was, when he’d arrived six years earlier, and the awareness filled him with a bit of confidence. Maybe he wasn’t quite yet there, but he felt just a little bit less awkward for a moment. 

The priest smiled then, a slight touch of something that might have been a brotherly sort of pride in his eyes, the touch on Leon’s shoulder turning to more of a supportive clap. “They’ll be expecting you just after the dawn bell. You might want to wear your vestments.”

~ _If I had whiskers, they’d be quivering_ ,~ Leon thought to himself as he nodded again. “Yes, sir. Thank you.” The priest turned away then, leaving Leon to his speculation as he gathered his things and stepped outside to where Maria was waiting. ~ _I wonder what that was all about.~_

“Hi, Leon!” There was an extra sparkle in her eyes and a spring in her step as she came to meet him. “I’ve got great news! But first, you’re coming for dinner, right?” 

“That was the plan, wasn’t it?” Leon grinned down at the girl who was practically bouncing next to him as he fell into step with her. “After all, what kind of fool would pass up your dad’s cooking?” 

Maria’s emphatic nod was all it took. “Good! Dad’s making milk porridge!” She laughed at Leon’s pained expression, which he quickly tried to cover. “Oh, stop making that face. I know you can’t handle milk. I’m teasing you, silly! But we do have a lot to talk about. Mom’s going to be going on a diplomatic tour at the end of the year and she wants me to come with her!”

“I see,” Leon said slowly, his indignant amusement gone in a flash. Though he knew that Maria’s mother was a Coquille by marriage, she had been the one to step into the role of diplomat, freeing her husband to pursue his true passions in the kitchen. Even though they’d only been in Selphia for a little over a month, Basil de Saint Coquille and Anna, his wife, had taken the small town (and the Temple) quite by storm. His quietly outgoing personality always seemed to carry the room, but anyone who knew them well understood the true nature of their partnership. Theirs was a marriage to be admired and envied, for their love and friendship was genuine, and showed clearly in every interaction, in every aspect of their home. 

What surprised him wasn’t that Anna would be doing the diplomatic rounds, but that Maria would be joining her, when the girl he remembered had always hated large gatherings. 

Naturally, he was more than a little disappointed; though he had made a few brief visits home after he’d come to Selphia, ever since Maria and her family had come to stay, Leon had to admit to himself that he was happier. Perhaps, he’d speculated more than once, having his old friend around had helped motivate him further to purse his studies all the more ardently. They’d always been good for each other, except for one small thing. But that wasn’t all that relevant at the moment, he told himself often. 

Maria smiled up at him knowingly. “Come back, Leon; I’m still here in Selphia. Where did you wander off to?” 

“Sorry, Marie. I was surprised to hear you’re planning to go too,” he said frankly, not allowing his disappointment to show. “As a matter of fact, I figured a wallflower like you would have run screaming rather than considered it, but you seem excited.” 

Maria only laughed, as used to his teasing as she was. “Ugh. Don’t call me that. You know I hate it.” She rolled her eyes at him. “But I’m not as much of a mess as I was when we were kids, Leon, and I’m a lot calmer about that sort of thing. Besides, if I’m going to follow the family tradition, then I’m either going to have to be a chef or a diplomat, and how could I know you really loved me if I took after Dad’s side of the family as far as my figure went?” She laughed, looking away; he joined her but could no more meet her gaze than she could his. It was true that the de Saint Coquilles tended toward rounder figures, but neither Maria nor her father showed any signs of it. They were all in very good physical shape. 

“How could you doubt it?” he replied smoothly; it was true, after all – if not the way she hoped. But they were young yet, and Leon hadn’t ever felt that way about anyone. But he and Maria had been toddlers together – well, he was a year or so older than she, but it was close enough. Of course he loved her, but he wasn’t _in_ love with her… Still, he had a lot to do before he could keep his childhood promise to her, anyway. 

He dismissed the thought from his mind for the moment – not too difficult, as it turned out; it was made easier by long practice and the distraction of more immediate thoughts – like what the priests wanted from him, and Maria’s own impending trip. “So! Tell me more about this little vacation of yours,” he said in the same tone. 

He didn’t want her to leave; that much was clear. He could tell by the way her face softened with concern that she’d seen through his cavalier comment. 

“It’s not exactly a vacation. More like training. Much the way you’ve been training to be a priest, Mom has been helping me train to be a diplomat. The more I learn about it, honestly, the more interesting it sounds: learning about other cultures, other countries; studying new languages – and old ones…,” she winked as she said it, and he smiled back. “But even more than that, I want to _do_ something. I want to be useful, I want my life to have a purpose, to be meaningful. Diplomacy is definitely a field with a lot of potential to do just that. I don’t know about changing the world, but I definitely want to do something to make it better. To help people to understand each other.” There was a weird little smile on her face as they walked, her eyes on the ground ahead of her. “When you left to come here, I was really scared. I was scared of being alone, and scared you’d forget me and that you’d leave me behind forever. I didn’t want to be a nobody. I wanted to make you proud. 

“But then, as time passed, I started watching other people more, and I started to think about some of the things you’d said. I mean, I know we were kids, but I thought about it more seriously. It stopped being about making you or even my parents proud, and it became more about doing something that was interesting and important to me.” At last she looked at him, a bit sideways; the weird little smile was still there but it had changed somehow. 

That was when he realized, more than her expression, Maria herself had changed. She wasn’t the tearful little girl he’d known and protected for so long. She didn’t need to be protected as much. “I see,” he said thoughtfully. She didn’t sound fifteen, she sounded more like a grownup, and he didn’t know quite what to make of that. But then, how much right did he have to make anything of it – Maria was her own person, and wasn’t that a good thing? It would take some doing to get used to his friend as she was now… But she was still his friend, and even if she wasn’t as timid as she had been six years ago – and small wonder, for she’d only been nine! – she wasn’t quite as brave as she wished, and they both knew it. 

“Hey, what’s that over there?” he said suddenly, pointing excitedly toward something off to the side. 

“What? Where? What is it?” Maria drew closer to him, nervously reaching for his arm, just as she had when they’d been kids. 

“Just kidding,” he grinned down at her. 

She shoved him, rolling her eyes and sighing in exasperation – but she was smiling. 


	4. Promotion

The sun rose to find a veneer of calm covering the stomach-churning case of nerves Leon was doing his best to ignore as he waited outside the Dragon’s Chamber, where the priests were holding their morning convocation. Occasionally, he could hear the stentorian rumble of Ventuswill’s voice cutting across the low murmur of her human priests. He couldn’t make out any words, of course; they’d taken precautions against that ages ago. He knew that it wouldn’t accomplish anything to pace, so he simply stood outside and waited. 

And waited. 

...And waited. 

The sun was well and truly risen long before someone came to escort him inside, more than two hours later. 

“Leon Bastet VIII.” 

He bowed as he entered the chamber: once in the doorway, then once again with each of the four measured steps he took to stand before the gathered priests. “I stand before you as I have been called.”

“We see you,” they chorused, “as you stand in the flow of time.”

Not for the first time, in the back of his mind he rolled his eyes at the weird phrase; though he knew what it meant, it still sounded ridiculous to him. “So I submit to the Will of the Wind, the Rebirth of the Earth, the Fury of Fire, and the Whims of Water.” 

“Do you yet know the Will of the Wind?” 

“That is why I am come, that I may learn.” The ritual greeting complete, Leon relaxed a tiny bit. He hadn’t been afraid he’d forget a line of the ritual; he’d been afraid he’d laugh. 

“Then come and be seated, for we have much to impart.” The head priest spoke alone this time, rather than all the priests together, and gestured to a seat at the focus point of their circle, close to where he stood – and directly opposite the Divine Dragon Ventuswill. He took the indicated seat and looked at the priest, his expression as blandly interested as any of theirs. 

“We have summoned you for two reasons, young novice,” the High Priest said, accepting the floor. 

The High Priest was the senior among them, but the head priest had a different role, not all of which Leon yet understood – but from what he knew, not even most of the priests knew all that he did, nor why he was sometimes called the Dragon’s Tear. Leon often mused that the tattoos on the inner corners of his eyes must have hurt when he got them, but he wasn’t brave enough to ask. The Dragon’s Tear was a quiet sort, often given to solitary study; though not as old as the High Priest, neither was he a young man anymore – and there was definitely a speculative glint in his eye, Leon thought, as they studied one another. Quite aware of what was happening, the High Priest’s expression did not change as he continued to speak without pausing.

“The first being that there is a task we would set before you. You would be within your rights to refuse, but we believe it would be a valuable part of your training. We also believe that you would not find it particularly arduous, for all that it will not be brief. 

“You are no doubt aware by now of the forthcoming diplomatic tour to be undertaken by the Lady Saint Coquille in a month’s time. It is our shared opinion that participating on this tour would be to your benefit.” 

Leon couldn’t stop himself from showing his surprise; it seemed highly irregular – at least, he hadn’t _heard_ of any novices who were sent as part of diplomatic parties before! Then again, when studying the histories, he’d tended to gloss over the novice parts, if he was being completely honest with himself, so it was possible there were some exceptions. Perhaps it was time to amend that. Still… “I had not thought that diplomatic missions were part of training to be a Dragon Priest,” he said, trying for his customary dry tone. 

“Not for everyone, but we feel that you are in a relatively unique position, and we admit that we are planning to use you for an experiment,” the High Priest smiled. “Not only will you be studying Lady Saint Coquille’s diplomatic techniques, but you will be having discussions with religious leaders in other faiths; it is our intention to consider how to better facilitate relationships amongst ourselves. The last thing we need is a religious war – not that there is any such in the offing, but it occurred to us that it might be nice to do what we can in advance to prevent any such possibility.” He smiled; his humor could be even drier than Leon’s when he chose. 

“That is sensible,” the novice agreed, unable to keep from answering with a grin of his own. 

“We are glad you think so,” the high priest said – and to Leon’s surprise, he was not being sarcastic. “That brings us to the second reason we brought you here. 

“Given the nature of your mission and position, and given the diligence with which you have applied yourself to all aspects of study, it is the nearly unanimous decision of this convocation to remove you from your status as novice… And grant you that as a full Dragon Priest of Ventuswill, the Divine Wind.”

If he’d thought he was surprised before, now Leon was absolutely flummoxed. Of all of the things he’d thought they’d say to him, this was the last! Not, of course, that it hadn’t been his goal… “But I’ve only been studying for--” he blurted out, barely stopping his own outburst and struggling to regain his composure. 

“That is true, but in that time you have learned all that most learn in the usual time, and there is this special consideration of your diplomatic mission.” 

Ventuswill had been sitting silently, watching the proceedings with the usual severe expression she used on such formal occasions. “Do not worry, former Novice Leon. There is more to this than you can yet know, but this decision was mine, for it is I who decides who is to become my priest, and when.” 

“That’s true,” he said thoughtfully, “and not uncommon knowledge, but I am still shocked.” 

The High Priest chuckled. “Well, good. It’s nice to know we can still get the edge over you once in a while,” he teased the youth, who had the good grace to blush. He had always been so eager and earnest in his studies, working hard toward becoming a priest. Especially since learning of Ventuswill’s illness, he had been determined to help cure her and heal his land. Already, his mind turned to the possibilities that this trip would open to him; he could learn healing methods and perhaps spellcraft from other cultures as well as what the convocation wished him to discover. 

“You will have time to prepare for the promotive ceremony; that will take place the day before you leave. We do not wish for the others to believe that your promotion comes so early for any reason other than this mission, lest they believe there is some sort of favoritism at work.” The High Priest’s eyes twinkled and Leon had to stifle his own laughter; the only thing to which he applied himself with more passion than learning was playing pranks – and no one, not the High Priest (nor, on more than one occasion, Venti herself) was safe. “However, the nature of the mission will not be fully disclosed until after your departure, either. This is for your protection as well. But do not worry; it is unlikely you will come to any harm so long as you respect Lady Saint Coquille’s word as you do ours.” 

“So it is, and so it shall be,” Leon said, rising and bowing at the obvious dismissal. He retreated a step and bowed, and did so twice more in a reverse of the entry ritual. 

His steps somehow remained steady all the way back to his room. He was more bemused than elated; for all that this had been his goal for the last several years, it would be some time before he could accept the announcement as real. 

Sano and Uno waited outside his room, for they’d planned to go running together that morning; he’d forgotten in the rush of information and emotion. There was still time yet before lunch, and he wanted nothing more than time alone, but he didn’t want to disappoint his friends. 

“Hey you two,” he said lightly, forcing his features into a casual smile. 

Sano wasn’t fooled. “They said something that troubles thee.” 

“It’s… complicated,” Leon admitted. “I think I need to take some time to wrap my head around everything.” 

Uno nuzzled his hand, and he stroked her head automatically. “No worries, Leon. We’ll run together later. Thou wilt tell us when thou art ready.” 

“Of course I will,” he promised. “Go have fun, you two. And… If you see Maria, tell her I’ll talk to her tonight after dinner?”

“We shall,” Sano promised in kind. “May thy thoughts travel smoothly.” 

“And good luck,” Uno added. 

Leon watched them trot off before closing the door to his room and heading straight for his bed. He fell into it with a sigh, and stared at the ceiling unseeing as his mind whirled in a dozen different directions at once, all at top speed. He was so preoccupied that if someone hadn’t knocked on his door, he’d have missed lunch.


	5. Progress

Not for the first time that hour, Leon reached up gingerly to touch his forehead. The new tattoo there was still very tender, but Leon had spent hours staring at it in the mirror the previous day, and Anna de Saint Coquille knew enough about tending to such decorations – having a few herself, though not many she shared with the public. Her family came from a place where tattoos represented one’s background and standing within society, so she understood quite well exactly what Leon’s new marking meant to him. Seeing the gesture, she chuckled. 

“Does it hurt?” 

“N-no, not really,” he said tentatively, pressing it gently.

“Good. Stop touching it, or it will.” 

“Sorry,” he said, not quite petulantly. He was confused; his new rank was rather exhilarating to contemplate, but the symbol of it was a somewhat different matter. The tattoos on his cheeks had healed years earlier; even so, he didn’t remember them feeling quite so… Weird. 

And then there was Maria – and her mother, for that matter, who treated him exactly the same as they had for as long as he could remember, as if his new rank and title meant nothing special to them. 

Despite their apparent unconcern, he knew that the entire family was ridiculously proud of him and had written to his own family almost before he could. It was only Basil’s suggestion that had kept his enthusiastic wife waiting until after Leon had posted his own letter. In many ways, he had become closer to the de Saint Coquilles since their arrival in Selphia than he remained with his own family, though the few brief visits they’d had since he’d come to study could hardly have been said to be enough to maintain a proper tie. 

That was deliberate on the part of the Priests. The Bastet family had a long history of supplying Dragon Priests in every generation for many such; it was less common for the firstborn of the family to do so, but no one was going to deny Leon his calling from the time he’d first expressed his intention at eight years old. But a Dragon Priest’s first loyalty must be to his (or her) Dragon, and so while families were permitted to remain in contact, and priests were permitted families of their own, such things were often arranged by the Temple. 

Leon’s case involved several exemptions, between being the firstborn, and having the obligation of his youthful oath to wed Maria. His mind kept wandering the same paths, even as his fingers made their slow, thoughtless way to the red and teal mark on his forehead. 

“Stop touching it.” 

"Sorry.” 

Maria giggled, which drew him out of his reverie. The carriage in which they traveled was well-constructed and didn’t jounce too much, which was a relief; Leon still recalled the little cart in which he’d first arrived for his training. The recollection was not a fond one. 

“Don’t laugh at Leon, Maria.” Anna’s voice was warm for both of them. 

“I wasn’t, Mother.” 

“Were too.” 

“Don’t start, Leon.” 

Now all three of them laughed, and Anna introduced a conversation about their first destination. Norad’s neighbor was a small Kingdom with whom their relationship had long been on shaky ground. The king, a man named Ethelwolf, was said to be difficult, obstinate, and greedy. He was not particularly unkind to his subjects, but under his rule, Sechs had begun making military raids on border villages around the entire country, and while those in Norad had managed to repel the (admittedly paltry) invasions thus far, several others on the outer border hadn’t been so fortunate. Rumors about Ethelwolf’s goals were increasingly in favor of his ambitions being imperial in nature, and there was little to contradict the sentiment. Anna and her colleagues were therefore being sent primarily to the Sechs kingdom to try to talk him down, especially in Norad’s favor. 

Leon had paid little attention to much in the way of current events during his studies, save those which affected his immediate environs. This wasn’t atypical for most novices in the Dragon Temples, since the course of study was rather intensively focused on history, religion, health, and survival. Novices learned fighting and healing techniques, practiced magic – and were taught means of improving the power levels inherent in a given spell. Leon had been utterly fascinated by the entire process and had not chosen an element on which to focus. He’d learned them all. 

As such, he found Anna’s information to be worrisome. Given Venti’s health, Norad’s health as a land was weakening, and though most of the population hadn’t been too deeply affected, the issue was rapidly becoming more obvious. He’d heard – inadvertently, for once not having tried to eavesdrop – some of the senior priests discussing it recently, and it had only renewed his fervor to help find a cure. 

But attacks against the border villages would worsen her condition, he knew, and so the importance of this particular mission had more riding on it than most would realize. He carefully did not say anything to Maria, but when they’d stopped for the night, he approached Anna on the subject. 

She’d confirmed his fears, while trying to allay them. “Sechs is merely the first stop, however; we’ve been authorized to provide assistance to other kingdoms on nearby borders if Ethelwolf is actually planning conquest. You’re young, Leon, but you’re too sharp for me to try to pull the wool over your eyes. 

“The facts are simple: Ethelwolf isn’t likely to want to listen to negotiations, if even half of what we’ve heard is true. So yes, we’ll be visiting many nations over the next months, but the trip isn’t going to be an easy one. Still, I’m hopeful that we may make some headway in at least some of the areas we’re going to cover, and I believe you and Maria will both find the experience very enlightening.” 

The next ten months were exactly that. As Anna had predicted, Ethelwolf was not interested in peace. He promised them that he would consider their position and “send a token of his intentions to the King of Norad when a decision was made.” 

However, several of the neighboring countries were all too happy to have Norad’s support, and Anna de Saint Coquille had made several promising contacts with many merchant families. Leon met with religious leaders from all over Adoneia, many of whom were also Dragon Priests, but there were many of other faiths – and some who were followers of the Spirit Dragon, the Unnamed One, The Dragon of Love who ruled over the other six (and as far as he could tell, did not often deign to interact with any followers, if ever).

Leon had been surprised to learn that the Dragons of Light and Dark still had active followings in some of the more remote nations, though he did not have the opportunity to meet either of those Dragons directly. It was a shame, he thought; on the other hand, the followers of those three Dragons did allow him plenty of opportunities to practice his Ath. He’d heard others calling it “Earth” language, but he suspected a linguistic shift was responsible for that mispronunciation, since that was only in areas wherein the tongue was largely forgotten and considered already dead. 

Maria had come with him for some of those, for they sometimes used Ath as a “secret” language when they wished to share confidences they didn’t want too many others to understand; though she wasn’t quite as fluent as he was, her accent was better. 

Still, all three had learned a lot during the course of the mission – about each other, as well as about the world around them, and their traveling companions. Leon had been the only representative of the Temple, but while Anna headed the diplomatic party, she was hardly the sole representative of the Crown. Leon and Maria had not been able to spend much time alone, even had they desperately desired to, but the adventure was more exciting than the prospect of what lay in their future; each was convinced they knew the latter, but the former was new and therefore more exciting. 

Nonetheless, the entire party was very happy to see the towers of Ventuswill’s palace rising above the horizon, and even the Little Dragons who pulled the carts perked up and hastened their paces a bit as they came closer to home. 

“At least you’ve stopped playing with that tattoo of yours,” Anna said teasingly as they turned up the road that led into town. 

“Only because it finally stopped bothering me.” 

“Maybe because you stopped playing with it?” Maria teased back, her eyes sparkling with amusement at Leon’s asperity. 

She only laughed harder as he assumed a blandly dignified expression and did not answer.

“Lady Saint Coquille,” one of the footmen called up to the wagon, “We’ll be in town just after nightfall.”

“Good. Have Jessica go on ahead and let them know so they’ll be prepared. I don’t know about any of you, but I could happily go to sleep just as soon as we arrive.”

Nods and tired laughter greeted her comment, and the diplomatic attaché Anna had singled out took one of the spare Dragon mounts and rode ahead on her final mission of the trip, looking none too unhappy at the prospect of the earlier arrival – and the meal and rest which would soon follow. 

Leon watched her go with a mild twinge of envy. He missed riding – though he vastly preferred the warm fur of his Fox friends to the slippery scales of most Dragons… With one obvious exception. The realization that his four-footed friends would likely be waiting for him perked him up further, and he ran a hand through his dark hair, knocking askew the awkward puffy hat that came with the tattoo of his still-new office. 

“You’re still not used to that, though, are you,” Maria said, a touch of sympathy in her voice.

“The tattoo is fine. I’ve always thought the hats were stupid-looking.” 

“I think it’s very dignified,” Anna said. 

“That’s because you don’t have to wear it,” the teenage priest muttered. 

Anna pretended not to hear, but she was smiling as she turned away.


	6. Potential

Leon settled with relative ease into his new life as a full Dragon Priest. He still studied with the same diligence as ever, though less of his time was of necessity spent in study and more was dedicated to the rituals of Temple service. The ties of the throne and the Temple were close enough in those days that the priests often sat as fair and impartial judges over the minor disputes that often arose, and the occasional, more serious issues deemed too urgent to wait for a representative of the court to arrive.

Those, in fact, were always adjudicated by the Dragon’s Fang, who was not to be confused with the Dragon’s Tear. Leon was not the only priest called to sit in on these sessions, but he quickly noticed that the older man called him most frequently. On the evening of his seventeenth birthday, he was given to understand why. 

“Come in and sit,” the man called in response to Leon’s knock. The summons had come at dinner, and he reported immediately after in a state of utter bemusement. The Dragon’s Fang, who had never been called by name in Leon’s hearing, was sitting in one of the little conference rooms often used by the priests for confessions. They were small rooms, but comfortably furnished; Ventuswill had always been adamant that her followers must be given to understand that _she_ understood their mortal limitations, and that she did not fault them for being flawed – only for denying their weaknesses and refusing to rectify their errors. 

The man was brewing tea even as Leon sat, doing his best to avoid displaying any discomfort despite his urge to squirm with the anxiety that filled him. 

“Here. This will help settle your nerves,” the Dragon’s Fang said with a surprisingly warm smile. “You’re not in any trouble, young man, so stop looking like you’re about to be stripped of your rank, flogged, and sent away with only the meager clothes on your back.” He chuckled; the Dragon Priests’ rather scanty attire in comparison with most current fashion was a source of endless amusement and frustration to many. “First off, before you start with that Dragon’s Fang nonsense to my face, I insist that at least for the course of this conversation, you call me by my name. 

“It’s Eric, by the way.” He chuckled again at Leon’s expression. “I know, it’s a rather innocuous name for someone who wields such power, and such a burden… But no more or less so than Leon would be.”

“I… don’t understand,” Leon admitted after a long moment that stretched out until he couldn’t bear it anymore. 

Eric the Dragon’s Fang sat down across from Leon, pushed a cup of tea toward him and wrapped his own hands around the other. “I didn’t think you would. I am no longer a young man, and I will not play games. You’re rather young for it, but by far you’re the most promising youth we’ve had in a long time, and between the High Priest, the Tear, and I, we all think that you would suit well as my successor.”

Leon sat back in his chair, the tea momentarily forgotten. His hand went to his forehead, pressing the red circle in the middle of his tattoo as though it were a button that would replay the other’s words, or perhaps pause everything… 

Of course, nothing happened. Time marched forward in its usual inexorable step, and Eric’s eyes rested without weight on Leon’s face. 

He felt dizzy. “But I’m still really just a kid!” he finally got out.

Eric nodded. “You are very young, but I’m not retiring tomorrow. I think you’ll not need more than a year or so of training, but neither will I retire immediately at that point. Instead I will train you and wean you into the position gradually. 

“Your mind is very sharp, and you have a good understanding of the laws and of justice. Your friendship with Lady Ventuswill has not gone unnoticed, and the Lady herself supports our choice. But there are two things you should know. 

“First, though it has not happened very often at all since your arrival here, the Dragon’s Fang does not just hear and decide cases of dire import. It is also on us to ensure that justice is meted out, whether that involves a division of property, or the carrying out of an execution.” He bowed his head; Leon could see that the weight of that responsibility lay heavily on his shoulders. “That is one reason that there is only one Dragon’s Fang in service for each of the Divine Dragons at any given time, save the apprenticeship period.

“The other reason, and the other thing you should know, is that the choice of who rests upon others, but the choice to accept the office must be yours, and must be made in the fullness of knowledge. It is not widely known among those not in Temple Service, and so I must caution you that you may not discuss too many details even with your family, now or in the future. Even once you marry that nice young Maria of yours, certain things you will learn must never be known outside of the Priesthood. It will place a burden of secrecy upon you that is very heavy, and so we will not ask you to make your decision until you have been well versed in most of what you need to know, save the innermost secrets of the role.” 

Leon reached for the cup of tea, which had cooled a little more than he liked; he didn’t notice. He drank half of it in one long swallow, not really tasting it. He didn’t notice Eric’s eyes on him, nor the slight hint of a nostalgic smile that played on the older man’s face as the silence stretched again.

“You look exactly as I must have when I received the same invitation,” Eric said dryly. “I can imagine how you must be feeling; it’s an honor but not an easy one, and not expected. I don’t need you to answer me tonight. Think about it, take your time, and see me when you’ve made up your mind.

“You have until tomorrow morning.” 

Eric held his bland expression for a moment as Leon sputtered before indulging himself in a low chuckle. “I’m teasing you, lad. Take as much time as you need. But if you have doubts, for any reason, tell me. I’ll be glad to help allay them, whether or not you choose to become the next Fang of Ventuswill. Even if I end up swaying your choice in the other direction, we’d rather you be certain of whatever your decision is. But I can’t deny hoping that you will accept, and that your decision will not take long,” he added with a rueful smile. “I am not so young as I look, anymore, and I wouldn’t mind retiring the honor sooner rather than later.” 

Leon nodded; that was understandable. He finished the tea in a daze, mumbled something intended to be a polite goodnight, and made his way to his room. It was beginning to feel like stumbling to his room in shock was becoming a regular thing. 


	7. Proposal

Using Uno as a pillow, Leon was toying with the fan Maria had given him for his birthday. It was a rather extravagant thing, made up of seven blue feathers – “one for every year you were when you made that promise to me ten years ago,” she’d said. They were lovely, rich with a green-blue sheen and a darker eye-spot at the tip of each that bore no slight resemblance to a heart, each perfectly matched. It was a rare extravagance; though the de Saint Coquille family was generally quite financially stable, Basil and Anna were not inclined to display their wealth using material means. 

Though he did not yet love her in the way she might wish, Leon was absolutely determined to keep his word. He did care for her very deeply. She was his closest friend and confidante, and she was a very pretty girl in her quiet way. Privately he thought it might be better this way; he’d seen too many marriages fall apart in his years at the Temple after a couple had married while still caught up in what they’d believed was a grand passion. Several of the other priests often teased him for being so jaded at a young age, but they approved of his viewpoint and many of them often wished more people felt the same.

At the moment, his intended was staring at him in utter disbelief. “But Leon… They’ll expect you to…” She shook her head, unable to bring herself to say the words.

“Serve as an executioner as well as judge and jury. I know.

“But Maria, don’t you think it should be someone who _does_ hate it? Who does have the compassion and sensitivity to care, even as the sentence is carried out?”

“You, sensitive?” she teased. He looked at her sharply. Her smile trembled and there was no laughter in her eyes; she was teasing him for form’s sake but she clearly hated the topic of conversation. 

“They asked me for a reason, and Venti was in on the decision. She’s my friend, and she wouldn’t ask me to do it if she didn’t believe in me.”

Sano lifted his head briefly from Maria’s lap and nudged her hand; she’d forgotten to keep petting him in her distress. The smile flickered briefly warmer as she resumed the neglected task. “What do you two think?” she asked him.

“I cannot disagree with thee, Leon. It seemeth that one who would choose the position too willingly would not serve wisely and well.” 

“I, too, feel it is for the best. Truly, thou art very brave to consider it so thoroughly. Many would run for the wrong reasons, in either direction. But it has been nigh a month since thou wert asked; have they said nothing since?”

Leon shook his head, mussing Uno’s fur. “You’re a very comfortable pillow, by the way. But no, they haven’t said anything other than when I ask them about it. The current Fang is a very admirable man in many ways.” He sighed. This conversation was going better than he’d expected – or feared. “For one thing, he is very much a man of his word, and he did promise that they would not pressure me once the question was asked.” 

Maria bit her lip. “Well, you always did favor honesty. Even if you don’t always phrase it as diplomatically as some people might want,” she added with a trace of her true smile. 

“I am always diplomatic,” Leon said, affronted. 

Uno’s body heaved beneath his head as she shook with poorly stifled laughter. “When thou dost so choose, which is not often!”

Sano and Maria joined in her mirth, though the latter’s giggles were still a bit shaky. 

“Hmph.” Leon waited for their laughter to subside, dignified even in the face of such insult. “And what’s to stop me from so choosing more often? I can be very professional when it’s called for.

“I just don’t like to.” He sighed, playing his fingers over the fluffy shafts of the feathers in his fan “And there’s a lot about being the Dragon’s Fang not to like… But I will accept the position. The initial year of training won’t be so bad; I’ve already learned a lot of what I need to know, and the rest will come with practice. I’m not going to pretend that I’m happy about doing it, but I believe it’s necessary, and I want to do my best.”

“I don’t like it either, but I’ll support you, if that’s what you believe is right.” Maria reached for his hand, and he squeezed it with his own. She pulled their joined hands to press them against her heart. 

“Well isn’t that sweet,” Anna said, coming upon the four a moment later. Maria started guiltily, relinquishing Leon’s hand with reluctant haste, but her mother only chuckled. 

“I’ve made my decision about what the Temple has asked of me,” Leon informed her. 

“You’ll do it, then?” Anna’s eyes searched his as he nodded and she sighed. “I can’t say I like it any more than anyone else… But I can’t help but feel you’ve made the necessary choice.” She laid a hand upon his head for a moment, then ruffled his hair. “You’d better go and let them know, then, since I’m sure you came to tell us before you made your formal acceptance speech to the High Priest.” 

Leon made a face and rose to duck out of her reach; she was not a particularly short woman but he’d shot up and was a few inches taller than she by now – and hadn’t quite reached his full growth, if the size of his hands and feet were any indication. 

Anna and Maria laughed, and Sano and Uno joined them. The foxes rose, too, and offered to accompany him back to the palace. 

“It seems to me,” Sano said as they trotted along beside the young priest, “that thy decision yet troubles thee.” 

“Yeah, but isn’t that why you said it’s the right choice?” Leon retorted, eyeing his four-legged friend with wry amusement. 

“Indeed, but we mislike it when thou art troubled,” Uno said, flicking his arm lightly with a tail. “It seems unfair not to have anything one might want without having to pay a price…” She faced forward again, her tails twining anxiously around each other. “Hast thou any further information on accomplishing thy true purpose?” 

Leon sighed. “I’ve sent word to the Earthmates at the Capital, but they haven’t gotten back to me with anything concrete. They had one idea to use as a last resort, and I’m not crazy about it…” Briefly, he outlined the plan as it had been explained to him. “And I know she’s been talking about how she’d like to be casting that spell on you guys soon… I was hoping to be able to find a cure before that happens.” He did not voice his fears; they all shared them. Lady Ventuswill was not likely to fare well after casting the Natron Soul spell. It took a great deal of power and personal energy, and to cast it on both Foxes would be prohibitive even if she were at full strength. But the citizenry had begun to notice that though she was still her imperious but caring self, her fading strength was affecting her public appearances. 

Sano nudged Leon’s hand as they jogged, and they continued in silence to the dragon’s chamber, where she was dozing lightly. At their approach, she raised herself to a sitting position and noted that no one else was with them. 

“Oh good, you’re here. Have you decided?”

Leon nodded. “And I’ll present my decision before the Temple as appropriate, but I don’t mind telling you that I will accept. On one condition,” he added, before her gratified expression could spread too deeply into her eyes. 

“Oh? You are going to place a _condition_ on me?” Cocking her head, Venti turned one eye on Leon, the humor in her tone only barely present. “It’s a good thing I think so well of you, even if it isn’t as well as you think of yourself.” 

Normally happy to join her in banter, Leon shook his head. “I’m serious, Lady Ventuswill.” She straightened at that; his use of her full name said even more than his tone. “Put off the Natron Soul spell. Just for a bit longer.” 

“We ask this as well, Lady Ventuswill,” Sano pitched in, carefully not looking at Leon. Uno’s tails were very still as she added, “We should like a bit more time to be of this world before we meld with Karnak.” 

“I know what you’re trying, Leon, and it won’t work. Uno, Sano, the power in that tower is growing increasingly more dangerous with each month. I’m not going to be able to put off casting that spell for much longer.” 

“Lady… There is something you should know. Many of us here in the Temple have been working with those in the Capital to try to find a cure for your condition. But it means finding someone with Earthmate potential, without the abilities, to become a channel for the rune energy.”

Dumbfounded was not an expression Ventuswill wore often, but it quickly disappeared “ABSOLUTELY NOT!” the dragon thundered, rearing up on her hind legs, her wings outspread. A stiff breeze picked up, escalating quickly in the high-ceilinged room to a harsher wind. “I WILL NOT ALLOW ANYONE TO DO SUCH A RIDICULOUS THING!!!”

“What’s going on in here?” the High Priest demanded as he hurried in from his quarters, adjacent to the Dragon’s Chamber. 

“THESE IDIOTS WANT TO SACRIFICE SOMEONE OF EARTHMATE BLOOD TO DELAY MY DEMISE!!”

“Lady, what are you talking about?” The High Priest looked from Ventuswill to Leon, behind whom the Foxes had retreated, pressing against his legs as the wind picked up further. Air was not their element, especially when agitated. 

Leon pulled out the letter he’d had from the capital. “This just arrived today. I intended to discuss it with you, but I wanted to tell Venti informally that I’d made my decision first. The topic just sort of came up,” he said mildly as the High Priest took the letter. 

“Of course it did,” was the distracted response as the older man’s eyes devoured the text three times. 

A moment passed in tense silence.

“This sounds like a very extreme sort of plan,” the High Priest said in as neutral a voice as Leon had ever heard – which was saying something, as “neutral” was something the man had long since perfected as an art form.

“IT IS UNCONSCIONABLE! I WILL NOT ALLOW ANY OF MY PEOPLE TO BE TREATED IN SUCH A MANNER!!”

“Now, Lady Ventuswill, I don’t see that it’s going to be an issue,” the High Priest said, his eyes meeting Leon’s. “Please do not worry. No one will be accepting this offer anytime soon.” 

“But –” 

“No one,” the older man said again, more slowly, cutting off Leon’s protest as the look in his eyes intensified, “will be accepting this offer anytime soon.” 

“THAT IS AS IT SHOULD BE,” Ventuswill thundered, somewhat mollified. “NOW, BOTH OF YOU. LEAVE ME. I WISH TO BE ALONE.”

They bowed. Leon tugged a dark lock of hair, twirling it around the feathers of his fan as he followed the High Priest out of her chambers. The older man’s expression was as serene as his wasn’t. 

But instead of Leon’s room, the older man led the younger to his own chambers, where they talked long into the night. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Sorry if that isn't the proposal you were expecting -- but remember, that already happened years ago!;)


	8. Preparation

Eric leaned back in his chair, a satisfied grin on his face. The lines around it were more prominent now than they had been two short years ago, and Leon was certain that the man wasn’t as young as everyone believed. However, there was no other evidence to that fact; he still moved with the same easy grace as Leon himself did. 

“Well, that’s it then. It’s been a year since your ‘promotion’ became official, and I think the time has come for me to retire to the ranks altogether. You’ve done well, Leon, and you should be especially proud of yourself today. I don’t know that I would have pursued the truth as avidly as you, especially not when I was younger. You found the truly guilty party and spared an innocent soul from a harsh judgment. Quite the turnabout, really,” he said with an approving nod.

Leon’s own emotions were a bit more tangled. “That’s true. But I can’t say I really like the whole situation.” 

Eric’s grin disappeared as he leaned forward. “That’s also as it should be. What happened was an atrocity. Unfortunately, there are people in the world who are not kind, gentle, or caring. There are those who are motivated only by selfish goals, and will go to any lengths to achieve their own satisfaction regardless of the cost to others. That is why there is a Dragon’s Fang.

“I admit that this was a harder case than almost any I’ve ever encountered, but you handled it well. Despite your feelings, you kept your head and sought true justice. That is what being a Dragon’s Fang is about. Your hand was steady from start to finish, which is more than most could have managed. This is why you were chosen. This is why we trust you, and why I feel confident in stepping back and surrendering the role completely. I will always be available to you as a friend, a shoulder, or a guide, but I see no need to pretend to wish to remain involved.”

“I see,” Leon said, his brow furrowed. Shortly after his eighteenth birthday, he had assumed the title and the role of the Dragon’s Fang. Now, a year later, he had seen more than he once might ever have imagined of both the depth of human depravity – and the heights of its nobility. His hand had dealt what was euphemistically called the Bite of Justice, but had also been kissed, cried on, embraced, and shaken to the point of pain with the gratitude of those to whom he had been of aid. It was a heavy balance. 

“Oh, don’t look so glum, lad! Nothing is going to change. I’ve been pulling back from the tasks for the last year. You simply didn’t notice, because I’m that good at it,” Eric chuckled. “But more importantly, so are you. 

“But I know you’ve been talking to the Foxes about the situation in the Tower to the West. And from what I’ve heard, the situation is continuing to deteriorate, though not at an alarming rate quite yet?”

Leon nodded. This, at least, was something he was better able to discuss, though he knew where Eric was heading. The topic had been suppressed for two years, but the signs were becoming more concerning. 

“The tower is… not disintegrating, exactly, but Sano tells me that there are areas that are completely given over to the Forest of Beginnings, and the boundaries between those areas and those of our world are increasingly fragile. He says it’s as though something is altering the balance of the rune energy and the tower is the site of the main interface.” 

Eric sighed. “And we know what’s altering the rune energy.” Leon nodded as Eric continued. “Lawrence showed me that letter from the capital recently. He doesn’t like it, but he feels that it’s becoming more likely that we’ll have to go that route in order to preserve the Lady. If the rune energy is suffering because she is, it’s all too likely that her death will cause more upheaval. I know that there is no Grimoire quite mature enough to take on the role just yet, and I fear that the lady hasn’t much left. She’ll be fine as long as she doesn’t do any major castings, but one big spell might do her in.”

“And she’ll have to do something about the Tower, since no human has the magical ability to manage it. Even an entire team of Earthmates couldn’t alter the Forest of Beginnings… So it’ll have to be the Foxes, and it’ll have to be with her spell,” Leon concluded unhappily. “Sano thinks we have more than a year before something really drastic happens, but not much.” 

“The problem is, there wouldn’t be many candidates who meet the criteria for what the Earthmates propose,” Eric sighed. “Someone of Earthmate descent, who has the potential for an Earthmate’s abilities, but in whom that energy is locked. Someone who is healthy and strong enough to endure the physical bond with a monster. And someone who is willing to give their life for the Lady… someone who loves her.” 

Leon sat back in his chair. “I know of only one person who meets all of those criteria,” he said slowly. 

“Who is that?” Eric said, his eyes searching Leon’s face. 

“I would rather not say until I’ve had the chance to discuss it with that person,” was all the young priest said, drawing on every ounce of his training to maintain the neutral expression of someone who wasn’t exactly lying. 

“I’d hold off on that for some time yet,” Eric said slowly. “Let’s see how things pan out over the next year. I know they’re still trying to find another solution; who knows but that the Earthmates may find another answer?”

“That would be good,” Leon said as he rose. 

“You’re a good man, and a good Dragon Priest, and you’re a good Dragon’s Fang as well, Leon. I know you, and I know your faith is strong. Believe in the Earthmates as you believe in the Lady, and everything that is meant will come to pass.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Leon grinned over his shoulder as he exited the room. 

He was surprised to see Sano and Uno waiting for him by his own room. 

“It has been some time since we have seen thee for a simple visit,” Sano said, sounding almost petulant.

“We are not fond of spending too much time away from our most amusing friend,” Uno added in the same tone. “It has been too long since we ran with thee.”

“Would you join us now for a bit?” 

“It’s a bit late, and it’s been a long day,” Leon noted, “but I think a run with you two is exactly what I need.” 

“Then get thee on my back, and we’ll be off!” Uno said, presenting her side to him so he could mount.

“And not a moment too soon,” Sano added with a vulpine grin. 

Leon twined his fingers into the thick dark fur, his own long tresses blowing back in the wind of their passage as they ran deep into the woods of summer, into Spring. Artlessly the two   
Foxes dodged wild monsters, aggressive in their startlement, until the sheer joy of movement cleared their minds of the knotty problems facing each and all of them. Only when Uno reached the odd Sand Sea – a few good lengths ahead of Sano despite her additional burden – did they stop, rolling in the grass and laughing with the sheer joy of momentary freedom. 

Picking up his hat, which had fallen off, Leon replaced it, then removed it and set it back on the grass beside him. At the querying looks he received, he shrugged. “I’m not acting as a Dragon Priest right now, so I don’t think I need to wear it right now. There’s no one around but us.” 

“And thy heart and mind are heavy with the burden which is like to befall thee,” Sano said softly. 

“Which is an understandable thing,” Uno added, resting her chin on Leon’s knee, “and we can hardly fault thee for wanting time to breathe freely.” 

“She wants to bespell you two soon. But if she does, it’ll take all the energy she has to spare. And none of us are ready for that – I don’t want to lose you two, and none of us want to lose her.” 

“Thou will not lose us, Leon. Only our bodies will be bound by Natron Soul.” This time it was Uno who spoke first.

“Our minds will still be free to speak with thee. We know this even if we do not know the full extent of Natron Soul’s effects.” 

“It won’t be the same.” Suddenly Leon felt much younger than his almost-twenty-one years. He fell back into the grass, his eyes fixed on the sky without seeing the clouds scudding above. “And if I’m to be the one to go to the Earthmates, I don’t even know exactly what they’re planning, or how it’s supposed to work. I know it has something to do with binding to a monster, something very powerful, that will allow them to access the potential Earthmate energy I have so that the rune energy can be processed and channeled to Venti. Honestly I don’t think I even want to know; it’s unnerving enough as it is.”

“That is understandable. If it helps any, I understand that the bond would be with Sarcophagus, the monster who guards the innermost sanctum of the upper Tower.” 

“And if it helps any more, Natron Soul will bond us with Sarcophagus as well. We would all three of us be together.” 

“And the Lady would regain her strength.” Uno’s tone was neutral.

“But the Lady doesn’t want to regain her strength,” Leon spat the words out, bitter as the taste in his mouth at the very thought. “The Lady wants to ‘move on’ with no regard for those she’d leave behind, or the land which would suffer even more in her absence.” 

Uno rubbed her chin along his knee as Sano rested his on Leon’s other knee. He sat up and scratched behind both sets of ears, running his hands from golden noses to the odd formations on the shoulders of each. They made good grips for riding the Foxes, though he preferred to tangle his fingers in the thick, soft fur. 

“It is the natural order of things,” Sano pointed out softly. “Without the spell, we would die, likely the last of our kind.” 

“And that is also the natural order of things,” Uno said, though her tone was almost as bitter as Leon’s had been. 

“Maybe the natural order of things isn’t always the right way.” 

“You’re going to do it then?”

Leon nodded. “Within the year, if no other solution is found. Venti’s going to have to bespell you to preserve the Tower and keep the Forest of Beginnings separate from our world. She’ll have no choice. Which means I’m going to have to go behind her back.” He sighed. “Marie’s not going to like this at all.” 

“Don’t call her that,” Uno said softly, sympathy in her eyes. “She hates that.” 


	9. Power

On Leon’s twenty-first birthday, he’d sworn Maria to secrecy and told her the truth of the matter. “I don’t know how long it’ll be. The Earthmates hope that it would be a temporary condition, maybe a month or two, but they’re not certain. They’re developing the spell as they go, but they can’t exactly run tests.”

Maria bit her lip, then looked at him fiercely as a thought occurred. “You’re not getting out of your promise to me that easily, Leon!” 

He reached for her hands, which nearly disappeared between his own. He towered over her and her mother both these days, and his regular routine had given him broad shoulders and a well-defined physique. Next to him, she was almost tiny. “I’m not trying to, Maria. But I don’t see that there’s much of a choice. It’s either I go into this spell for a while, or Venti dies.” 

“I don’t… No, I really hate it, not just I don’t like it.” She bit her lip again, looking up at him and hoping he wouldn’t see how it trembled. “I wish I could forbid it.” 

She could, and he knew it. He’d made her a promise, after all, and the time was coming when he would fulfil that – provided, of course, that the Earthmates were able to find another way to prolong the life of the Dragon Ventuswill, the Divine Wind.

The Earthmates in the capital researched day and night. Weeks went by, and months, and still no solution could be found. There was no other way they could find to preserve Venti’s life, or the boundary between worlds, without the Natron Soul spell, and without creating an entirely new spell that would not only merge the soul of someone with Earthmate potential to that of a powerful monster, but also change both creatures in order to allow them to process rune energy in such a way as to prolong the life of the Divine Dragon. The priests kept the information hidden from the Dragon in question, since her opinion on the matter was well known, but the priests had already decided. 

There was no successor ready yet; the newest Grimoire was too young and would take nearly a century before being able to evolve to replace Ventuswill. Venti could not be allowed to die, because the land would follow quickly. And so the Guardian spell was prepared, the Earthmates had done all they could to forestall both Dragon’s demise and the spread of the Forest of Beginnings into their own world. 

And the day came, shortly after the turn of the year, when the Foxes’ transformation could be put off no longer. They came to her before the dawn, alone and in silence. She lifted her head as they entered.

"My Lady Ventuswill, we are prepared for what must be done.” 

“We know the cost and are prepared to make the sacrifice.” 

“Then come. Climb on my back and I will fly you to the tower. Have you said your farewells?”

“We have, and have made our peace.”

“There is nothing else left for us to do on this plane that cannot be done also on the next.” 

In silence, they did as she instructed, hunkering down on the great neck with surprising ease. She lifted gracefully into the air, circled the palace once, and over all of the Wild Lands they flew, circling around widely until she landed atop the tower, directly between the great doors, shaped like ears, that led to the heart of the upper Tower. 

“TAKE UP THY POSITIONS, THEN, AND BE MY WATCHGUARDS. WATCH OVER THE LAND OF SELPHIA AND ITS ENVIRONS, AND CHANNEL THE ENERGIES THAT SEPARATE THE FOREST OF BEGINNINGS FROM OUR WORLD. PROTECT IT AS YOU WOULD YOUR CHILDREN, AND YOU SHALL KNOW MY GRATITUDE.”

Sano clung to Uno for a moment, his muzzle pressed deeply into her neck. It was she who licked his fur into place and pushed him away gently. “Come. Soon we will be bonded more closely than any physical touch, my mate. Let us do as the Lady bids and protect our world… and our friends.”

Sano trotted to the left, and Uno moved to the right. They sat up straight and tall, tails spread out in glory behind them. They called forth the magical energies of their respective elements; Sano glowed with flame and Uno was surrounded by thickening mists as the great Dragon spread yher wings. Stranger energies by far swirled around her, separating into two columns that enveloped each of the small furred figures in a reddish haze that swelled with thunder. Brighter and brighter the light grew; the tower trembled as the Dragon reared up. 

Between them, a third figure appeared, and was quickly swallowed up in the magical mists. Ventuswill did not notice it, but the Foxes did. They’d already struck the bargain that brought Sarcophagus into the mix. Bonded with him, they would preserve their true forms, to an extent… And they would still be able to fulfill their destinies.

“ ** _NATRON SOUL!!!_** ”

Later, she could not say how she made her way back. The quake that shook the entire land had woken up every priest in the palace; they claimed she had flown in gracefully, but she did not believe them for an instant. She knew how she felt. 

Deny it though she might, the spell had taken nearly all the strength she’d been hoarding. The time she had left was a matter of days, and she knew it. 

They all knew it. 

And there was only one choice left.


	10. Promises

He sneaked into her room when the house was silent. She was sitting up, writing as usual. “Maria.”

“Leon.” The already tentative smile on her face disappeared completely when she saw his. “It’s time, isn’t it.”

“I’m sorry. I have to.” 

“I know, but… but…” With a breathless sob, she flung herself at him, just as though they were children. His arms went around her as she surrendered to the grief that had been gnawing at her for months. She’d kept it at bay with the hope that another way would be found, but Ventuswill had collapsed. 

He said nothing, stroking her hair in silence, holding her gently, ignoring the tears that fell from the tattoos on the inner corners of each eye; tattoos he’d earned three years earlier after being formally instated as the Fang of Ventuswill, the Divine Wind. It was those tattoos that gave him the authority to make the decision and not meet with opposition – other than that of the Dragon in question, of course… And it was now those tattoos that seemed to spawn as many tears as Maria shed.

“I wish…” But she didn’t voice her wish. They both knew what it was – and that it was futile. 

Eventually her sobs slowed, and though her breathing was hardly steady, she raised her gaze to his. “Leon… I want you to know I’m very unhappy about this.”

“I know. But… Maria… Marie. Listen to me.” 

“Don’t call me that, You,” she said with a trace of a smile. 

“Okay, You.” It was a joke from their childhood, and he’d nearly forgotten about it. He brushed the bangs back from her eyes, then laid a finger across her lips. “I am going to make you a new promise. 

“I promise you, Maria, that I will not seek happiness with anyone else, and I will never marry anyone else.”

She shook her head, freeing her lips from his finger. “I won’t hold you to that.” 

“I don’t care. I will. I promised you happiness, and until I can bring you that happiness, I will never seek my own.”

“But if I find it without you, will you let me release you from that?”

Leon looked down at her, a lopsided grin on his handsome features. “As if anyone else could make you as happy as I could.”

“Well, right now, no, but if you end up bespelled for a hundred years, I’m not going to wait around forever,” she said with some asperity.

“I don’t think it’ll be that long,” he said, the teasing tone gone. “Just long enough for Venti to regain her strength. And I swear I will see you happy.”

“That, and only that, I will accept.” She searched his face for a long moment, then raised hers up and pressed her lips to the red spot on his brow. 

He smiled down at her, then pulled her into his arms again and kissed her gently on the lips. “Until I see you again, then.”

“Until again,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper as her eyes began to water again. “Now go on, get out of here. Go while you still can. And remember our favorite places,” she said with a tremulous smile.

He nodded, gazed into her eyes a moment longer, and left.

He’d meant every word. He would never seek out happiness – never even dare to let himself feel truly happy unless he could assure hers first. His word was sacred to him, for it was his word that bound him as a Dragon Priest, and she knew it as well as he did. He would come back to her if he could – and if not… He would deal with that when the time came. 

For now, there was another lady awaiting him, though he wasn’t sure she’d hear him… 

Ventuswill hadn’t stirred sine she returned. Sometimes she cried out softly; sometimes her breath came in pained gasps. Never once did she waken or move, and it had been days… There was no other option. Leon and the High Priest agreed. Eric had regretfully conceded the point and agreed to resume his old duties until a new replacement could be found and trained. The travel arrangements had been made. Now there was one thing left to do. 

"Venti…” He looked at the unmoving figure sprawled inelegantly on the palace floor. She whimpered slightly – perhaps in response; perhaps it was coincidence. “Lady Ventuswill, the Divine Wind, who rules the Abyss of Time… I am come to bid thee farewell, as I am off on a journey. It will not be easy, nor pleasant, and I do not know when I shall return.” He sighed. “And that’s enough of that formal nonsense. Venti… I’m doing this for me. I’m being selfish, okay? So if you can hear me, I want you to know that I’m not doing this for you. I’m not doing this to save you for you. I’m doing it for me. Because… you’re my friend, and I love you, okay? So… that’s that, I guess.” He turned his back on her, the early morning light gleaming dark blue on his dark hair. “See you.”

She remained still and silent.

He strode out of the room and did not look back.


	11. Protection

_The figure, masked and cloaked, turned a hidden face on him as he returned to his room._

_“Are you the Earthmate? Oh sorry, I should introduce myself first. My name is Leon. I’m here to have you cast a spell on me.”_

_The figure cocked its head and somehow Leon knew the question that was coming. “…Yeah, I’ve already heard the explanation. You’re fusing my body with the earth’s runes to keep sending power to Ventuswill… And in order to do so, you need someone with a strong connection to her. That’s the gist, right?” A nod. “If that’ll help Venti, I have no problem doing it. I wouldn’t call it a sacrifice. After all, I’m a dragon priest. It’s my job to protect her. So I guess you can call me a Guardian. How diligent am I, to be working as I sleep?”_

_Once more there was a question in the silent posture. “Unfinished businesses? There’s tons of it. But we’re running out of time. It wasn’t my job to save Venti. That’s why I’m sure that one day, someone will come upon the answer I could never find. Only then will she truly be saved. As long as we never give up, it’s possible. It’s always possible. That’s why…” He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. “…I’m begging you. Please save Venti. Never give up. Never stop trying. I have faith in you, Earthmate. I believe in the future. If I become a Guardian, I can save Venti, right? One day, someone will find a way, right? That’s why I have to do it.”_

_Another nod, and the figure rose, picking up a satchel Leon assumed was full of spell components and supplies. He followed it out of the palace, through the wilds to the Tower at Karnak. Somehow they avoided the monsters that inhabited the outer levels of the tower. Leon found himself unable to speak; there wasn’t anything left to say._

_They reached the top, where the statues that had been his friends stood guard. There was only just enough room to slip past them if he stood sideways; it would be a tight fit. He patted one of Sano’s stone legs, then Uno’s as he squeezed behind her._

_The monster Sarcophagus waited for them in the chamber below. But there were two new additions to the monster’s form; Leon had faced Sarcophagus before, but never before had there been a Fox on either shoulder, one whose tails were tipped with red and one with blue…_

_The Earthmate gestured, and Leon moved to stand face to face with the monster which towered over him. He reached up to scratch the familiar chins, trying to pay no attention to the sounds behind him as the Earthmate prepared for the spell._

_"_ _Stand next to Sarcophagus,” the Earthmate said, and Leon turned, slightly surprised to hear a feminine voice. The Earthmate’s hood was back and the mask had been removed; green eyes looked at him with an unreadable expression as she raised her hands. The last thing he saw was the long green hair blowing back in the wind of the energies gathering around her before there was a flash of white light, words that made no sense… And then…_

~Leon, we are with thee.~

~We will never leave thee alone.~


	12. Parting (Coda)

**Six Months Later…**

_Ventuswill looked at the young family with sympathy. “OF COURSE I UNDERSTAND.” More than she could admit, she understood, but it wouldn’t do to show herself too openly to the heartbroken trio who stood before her. “THOUGH IT SEEMS THAT I AM HEALED, THE COST IS GREAT, AND THE LOSS SHARED BY MANY. YOU MUST GO TO A PLACE WHERE THE MEMORIES WILL NOT HAUNT YOU SO.”_

_“Thank you, My Lady,” Basil said, bowing once more. “My cousin runs a library in a land far across the sea; he says there is much greenery in the area for me to study. He told me he’d like to travel, so we’d stay at his home…” He glanced at his daughter, who stood with her eyes downcast. “and find ways to keep ourselves healthily occupied. Maria – that is, Marie will run the library, and she intends to write a book,” he added with pride, though the smile he turned toward his daughter was tinged heavily with pain._

_“THAT IS AN EXCELLENT IDEA,” Ventuswill said. “YOU SHALL BE MISSED HERE, YOU KNOW.”_

_“And we thank you for that, too.”_

_The Dragon merely nodded; it would not do for her to give vent to the grief that raged through her every cell. Of course she could not understand how the three mortals felt at Leon’s disappearance, but she could no more share her own feelings with them. She was a god; they were humans. Leon had become what they were now calling a Guardian; she called him an idiot – and many worse things._

_He had been her Priest, one of many; he had been Maria’s betrothed. She herself had planned to officiate at their wedding – and while she knew Leon hadn’t been in love with the girl, he loved her nonetheless – and for him, that would have been enough; he would have been happy with her and she with him._

_But now he was gone, his body subsumed by an overwhelming mass of rune energy, melded in some mystical way with the monster at the heart of the Tower some were now already calling Leon Karnak – the same rune energy that was healing the land and keeping her alive. She felt it with every beat of her great, aching heart._

_"Though it’s a long way overseas, to the land where Mineral Town is, we’ll always keep you in our hearts,” Anna said warmly, resting a reassuring hand on one great talon._

_"_ _AND YOU WILL ALL BE IN MINE. NOW GO, BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND AND DEMAND MORE PANCAKES.”_

_Basil laughed, joined by Anna; Marie even smiled a bit. The family turned and walked out together, Maria’s hand in her mother’s, and Anna’s other hand in Basil’s. Ventuswill knew of the town, though not well; the Church there was dedicated to the Dragon of Love, so she had no personal tie to the place. Magic was largely unknown in that place, but the people were kind and the air and land healthy. She wished them well._

_She wished she could follow._


	13. Present (Epilogue)

**Rather More Time Later…**

~ _Uno? Sano_?~

~ _Yes Leon_?~

~ _I’m bored_.~

~ _I wish I were_ ,~ Uno replied. ~ _Someone’s been making their way up the front of the tower again_.~

~ _Ooh, company! Aren’t you lucky_ ,~ Leon sighed mentally. 

~ _I suppose. Looks like they’re here… Hold that thought a moment,_ ~ Uno’s words came to him. Moments later, he felt her gasp of surprise and heard Sano’s battle cry in his mind. ~ _This one’s strong! Sano… SANO_!~ Uno’s mindvoice was tight with fear as Sano’s cry cut off abruptly. ~ _Leon! Be careful! Oh, Leon, for you, I hope… But –Ahh!_ ~ The cry of pain interrupted whatever Uno had been about to say. He heard nothing more for a moment but the feel of the battle, and he felt Uno’s strength ebbing. The world around him was shimmering, shifting… He felt Sarcophagus rising up within.

When Sarcophagus had control of their body, he could not access it. He knew that Sano and Uno’s true forms, the Jaxtails they had once been, manifested again as part of the Guardian’s physical body, inexorably connected to boost the Guardian’s magic – but that meant, should the Guardian be defeated, they too would disappear. If Uno and Sano reached for his mind, they could speak, but beyond that, he knew nothing. The silence seemed to stretch interminably, made worse by not knowing. She was shielding him from her pain. Leon felt sure that Sarcophagus must be losing the battle.

When she reached out for him again, urgency colored her words. ~ _LEON! GUARDIAN SARCOPHAGUS IS FALLEN! THE EARTHMATES HAVE FO_ ~

Her voice disappeared as the Guardian’s body collapsed, its spirit returning with Sano’s and Uno’s to the Forest of Beginnings. There was… nothing but emptiness. 

And then there was the feeling of cold stone against his back. ~Cold… stone?~ He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt something physical. The air was dry and dusty, and there was the smell of magic to it. Leon opened his eyes. 

A slight figure was standing over him surrounded by an intense haze of magic-borne light. He thought he recognized it; thought he heard a voice saying something, and then the haze collapsed in on itself, the glow disappeared, and he was alone in the darkness. ~ _Uno? Sano? What was that_?~ 

There was no response. He rose slowly, surprised to find himself back in his own body. He climbed out of the chamber, afraid of what he would find. There was no barricade to the entrances to the chamber; the statues were gone. “UNO! SANO!” He spun around, desperate for a sign, until he saw a message in Ath on the wall opposite the doorway to where Uno had once stood. “Wait for us in your mind,” he read. The water in which the message had been written was already beginning to dry. His ears stopped pressing back against his head as he began to regain his composure, and his tail no longer hid between his legs.

~ _Ears? Tail? What the_ …~ “Venti,” he sighed. “We need to talk.” He wondered how long it had been. ~ _A year? Two? Surely not much more than ten_ …~

Stretching, he cast Escape, hoping that not much had changed. 


End file.
